Brittney and Brett

How We Met

Brett was home for one weekend from law school and was out with friends – one of whom was dating my friend. A group of us were in a loud, crowded bar in the East Village. As it was not conducive to chatting, I hadn’t met Brett yet and didn’t realize he knew some of the mutual friends that were there with us that night. While I was standing at the corner of the bar, tired and bored, a friend of mine pointed to Brett and said, “Why don’t you go up to that guy and talk to him?” Without thinking I walked right up to him and introduced myself. After a brief conversation, spent mostly yelling over the music, we both were pulled in separate directions with our different groups of friends and parted ways without exchanging phone numbers. The next morning Brett texted his friend, who was dating my friend, for my number. He texted me that day to hang out and two and a half years later he asked me to marry him.

How He Asked

Brett and I were both working from home on a rainy, hot Summer Friday. Though we sat on the same couch, we didn’t have any time to talk as I was stuck on conference calls coming up on a deadline and Brett (I thought) was quietly engaged in his work. Unbeknownst to me, he was texting and emailing both of our families and an engagement photographer for what was to happen that night. Although it was a busy day, I knew that night was my dad’s birthday dinner at a restaurant just below Washington Square Park. Once 6:30 came around I grabbed a Grateful Dead album and book that I ordered for him and left with Brett, even though my sister texted me not to bring gifts to dinner. Of course I didn’t listen to her and told her I was the better daughter for bringing the gift.

As we walked downtown from our apartment, Brett suggested we go through Washington Square Park, which we do often. As we walked in the humid August dusk I wondered why Brett was walking so quickly, especially since we were fine on time. He also wasn’t talking to me. “Are you mad?” I asked.

“No,” he said, “just don’t want to get caught in the rain.” The sky looked as if rain would pour down any minute.

“How does my hair look?” he asked. That was out of character but I let it slide.

“You look fine.” He began walking quicker.

As we turned onto 5th Avenue the large arch hit our eyes. I asked Brett what we should order at the restaurant but he didnt seem interested. When we finally walked under the arch, just in front of the fountain, he stopped me in my tracks, turned me towards him, and dropped to his knees.

He pulled out a small box, said a few choice words, and asked me to marry him. I almost didn’t believe what was going on. “Is this really happening?” I asked him. “What’s your answer?” he said. “Yes yes yes, of course!!!” I said. Everyone in the park clapped and snapped pictures of us as we hugged and kissed. Around the corner our families were waiting at a (different) restaurant to celebrate – and toast our engagement!